A Statement from Literature Wales

Published Tue 21 Nov 2023 - By Literature Wales

We are horrified by the atrocities happening in Gaza and Israel. The losses are unimaginable, and in a time of such grief and uncertainty, we sincerely hope that compassion will prevail.

We appreciate that onlookers, whether connected to those affected or not, are finding it hard to navigate the situation, and that tensions are running high in Wales and around the world. However, we have seen untrue and hateful comments being directed at writers we work with. This is not acceptable. As stated in our Social Media Policy and Community Guidelines, we don’t engage with trolls, and will report posts which include hate speech, bullying, or posting untruths and causing upset.

Writers we work with, including our three laureates, are individuals, and we support their right to speak out on and respond creatively to issues close to their hearts.

In a time of division and polarising opinions, literature can help us to understand each other’s perspectives and share our experiences; it has the potential to bring people together. As our National Poet, Hanan Issa, recently said in her poem responding to the conflict,

“People say write a poem about it.

And I probably will since

leaving an empty space where a poem needs to

exist is like locking the door on a hurricane.”